New rules move Washington State closer to carbon-free electricity
The rules apply to Puget Sound Energy, Avista and Pacific Power. The state’s Commerce Department developed similar rules that apply to municipal and other consumer-owned utilities.
South Carolina regulators tell Dominion to rethink its coal fleet
Regulators ordered the utility to evaluate the risks and environmental costs of operating its coal plants, and consider options to replace the plants with clean energy alternatives.
Manufacturers call for module size standardization
Trina Solar is spearheading an effort to standardize 210mm silicon wafers and modules, aiming to improve production efficiency, supply chain optimization and innovation.
Sunrise brief: Gibraltar closes two acquisitions, aims at $700m revenue goal
Also on the rise: Wisconsin to revise dated DER rules, Massachusetts sets a course for 2050 energy goals, Sungrow notches an inverter delivery milestone, and a 1.6 MW solar carport enters service in New Jersey.
A no-brainer for U.S. job creation: Update solar permitting and inspections
Solar is big enough now that its soft costs are a real drag on local economic activity. Soft costs in the U.S. defy the example of other countries that install solar at one-third the cost because of how the steps that drive soft costs have been structured.
Virginia looks to kick off 2021 with a solar subscription program
SB629 would allow the state’s Dominion Energy customers to buy solar power via subscription from a shared power facility owned by a third-party entity, with 30% of the program’s initial 150 MW capacity being reserved for low- or middle-income subscribers.
Xcel Energy wins approval to advance Colorado EV plans
Utility regulators approved Xcel Energy’s plan to spend $102 million over three years to build charging stations, incentivize homeowners to install charging equipment and provide support for converting school buses, government and business fleets to electric.
Sunrise brief: PG&E announces six BESS projects with 387 MW of capacity
Also on the rise: 8Minute upsizes its credit facility, an NREL-led team publishes a new guide to inverter-based power systems, and Altus Power adds to its portfolio.
Sunrise brief: Congress passes solar ITC extension
Also on the rise: A simple safeguard for the growing danger of arc-fault events; EDF Renewables signs a PPA; Soltec will supply trackers to AES
Solar ITC wins extension as part of pending congressional action
The solar ITC would remain at 26% for projects that begin construction in 2021 and 2022, step down to 22% in 2023, and down to 10% in 2024 for commercial projects.
